Game-board.



No. 734,307. PA'IENTED JULY 21, 1908.

G. H. GURRAN.

GAME BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED PE B. 19,-1903. NO'MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 21, 1.902%.

CHARLES H. GURRAN, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,307, dated July 21, 1903.

' Application filed February 19, 1903. Serial No. 144,038- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. OURRAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to games, and is in the nature of an improvement 011 games of that character which are played upon a board laid out in the form of a square made up of squares alternately colored-such a board as, for example, is used in playing chess, with the exception, however, that while the game of chess is played with a definite number of pieces the game forming the subject of this application may be played on a board, like the ordinary chess-board, eight squares wide and deep, or, conceivably, it might be played on a larger board with a greater number of pieces than sixteen.

The object of the invention is to provide a game having some of the characteristics of chess and some of the characteristics of checkers, which, while not being as intricate as the former, introduces strategy in greater degree or different degree to that required for checkers.

Referring to thedrawing, which consists of one figure, a may indicate a board on which are laid out the squares b, section-lined t6 represent those of one color, alternated with the squares 0 left blank to represent those of another color. As the board is laidout in the drawing, the squares bare those used in playing the game. These squares are shown to be connected by quadrilateral figures (1, having sides made up of curved lines. This, however, is an immaterial point, and the squares d may be section-lined, as are those lettered b, and also made of square form, if desired.

From thenature of the moves in this game it is thought best, however, to use the quadrilateral figures cZ,-owing to the fact that all moves are diagonal, except those to be made under certain conditions to be referred to later on, and the corners of said figures cl therefore serve to indicate in a measure the direction of movement of the men.

At the center of two opposite sides of the board an additional square 6 is provided contiguous to the outside. row of squares on each side. This square may be termed the goal.

Running transversely through the center of played. The men g consist of a sufficient number to occupy the first two rows of the active squares b. On the first square, at the right of each goal-square, however, one man It is placed having some special designatingsymbol affixed to .it or printed on it-as, for

example, the crown shown in the drawing. This man may be designated by any name to distinguish him from the others as, for example, the king. The men of each side are set in precisely the same manner, with the king occupying the square at the immediate right of the goal-square e. At the center of the board are two squares z',oppositely located on either side of the divisional line f. These squares 1 may be termed flanking squares, 7 5

in that when the two squares on one side of the line f are occupied, respectively, by the king of one side and any man of the other side the king may have a lateral or flanking movement in addition to the movements otherwise described for it, as set forth in the rules of the game, it being the object of the game to place the king of one sidein the goal on the opposite side. These squares may be distinguished by some mark or color, it desired.

Rules: First, all of the men, including the king, may move diagonally from one of the squares b to another, forward only. Instead of capturing a man the men are simply dis- 9o placed, and the one whose move it is exchanges squares with the opponent. When the king occupies one of the flanking squares and an opponent occupies the other flanking square, the king being on his own side and 5 both on the same side of the line f may then move from one of the squares '11 to the other to displace his adversary. This move may not be repeated until one other move has intervened. Neither the king nor any other man may move backward.

After ,becoming familiar with the game it is possible to so block the squares giving ac-, cess to the goal that it is very difiicult to place the king on that spot, it being necessary to exercise great care not to place your kingwhere it may be exchanged for a man occupying aposition in the king-row one side 5 of either of the squares next to the goal, for

another to designate the active from the nonactive squares, a goal-square located at the center of two opposite sides of the square outside of the border thereof, and four flanking squares dilferent from the other squares of the board arranged around the center of the square, the square being divided into two parts by a line located midway between the.

goal-squares, said flanking squares being oppositely located, two on either side of said line.

CHARLES 1-1. CURRAN.

Witnesses:

H. A. OHAPIN, K. I. CLnMoNs. 

